Early Bird Gets the Worm

It is like waking up in the jungle here. The birds start with their magnificent songs around 5 in the morning or so. I get to wake up gently to the sound of nature, can't get better than that. The calls can be loud and soft, I lay in bed most mornings somewhere between asleep and being fully awake and try to identify the birds by the song they sing. The usual suspects include the cardinal, whose song is fairly recognizable and the loud carolina wren who lives in our birdhouse outside our window. There is such variety, that it is easy to doze back off to sleepytown. Sunday morning I got up fairly early to take a look at which birds I could spot.
The variety is outstanding here in Northern Illinois, more so than you might imagine. Out in the newly budding trees I saw the blue jays, cardinals, and black cap chickadees. The robins, of course, where chasing worms in the damp soil, one lucky robin found a big one and gobbled it down. The squirrels take turns at the edge of the water taking small sips then they dart up the trees. On the bank of Butterfield creek sat the drake mallard, the sun shining down on his head revealing the shimmering green.
Just above him in a smaller tree was one of my newest bird findings the red breasted grosbeak, then another. I took a picture, of course, but it was too far away. The photo is not my finest work, but it works for identifying the newest addition to my birding list. It is a beautiful bird with what looks like a red shield on his chest surrounded by stark white and black on his back and wings. His beak is yellow and short, next time you are out birding be on the look out for this bird.
Over our last few weeks here in Chicagoland, I will continue my ever growing bird list, and enjoy what late spring has to offer. Then I will have to get a new bird book, one that is for North Florida!